Down the Rabbit Hole
by Merle's Sugartits
Summary: Pre-Apocalypse. Prequel to Savior, don't have to read Savior first, but it will kind of spoil the ending of Savior if you don't. Rated M for drug/alcohol use/abuse, language, violence, and smut
1. Down the Rabbit Hole

_Author's Note: Aside from the obvious disclaimer about not owning either of the Dixon brothers or owning or being affiliated with The Walking Dead, I want to say a quick thank you to everyone who has read Savior, and everyone that left reviews. Especially ShutxThexFrontxDoor, all of our messages and tweets, and all of your reviews is what kept me inspired and kept me going while I was writing that. I'm super excited to get this prequel under way, and I hope everyone enjoys it just as much. _

Lucy stood at the kitchen counter, the phone in hand, clutched to her ear, "It would be better for her to be somewhere where nurses and doctors are available to tend to her at any moment necessary."

"What are you suggesting?" she asked the doctor on the other line.

"There are plenty of facilities that can offer care and treatment to your mother."

"Like a…hospice?"

"Yes, exactly, in fact, there's one not far from you." The doctor continued telling Lucy about the place, how great it was rated, the quality staff. But Lucy's number one concern was cost. She couldn't afford it. But he was right, it was better for her mom.

"I'll consider it," she told him when he was done.

"That's all I ask, Miss Thornton." They hung up and Lucy slammed her fist against the counter, how could she ever pay for it? She could barely afford the nurse that was on-call.

"Lucy is everything okay?" her mother called from the bedroom, having heard the sound.

"Yes, ma, I'm fine." She sighed and ran her hands through her dark hair. She had to figure something out. With waitressing, they were just barely scraping by. She took a deep breath, hoping to calm herself before walking to the bedroom doorway; she leaned into the room, looking at her mom. "I have to run to the diner for a few minutes." It wasn't a complete lie, that was where she was going, she just hadn't been asked to come in that day. "You have Tiffany's number in case you need something before I get back, right?"

Her mom nodded, "It's right here by the phone."

"Okay, I'll see you in a little while."

"Alright, sweetie."

Lucy forced a smile and walked away; she pulled her shoes on and grabbed her keys and purse.

* * *

Lucy pulled into the parking lot, and got out of the car, as she was walking in, another guy was walking out. He wore a plaid shirt the sleeves had been ripped off of and dirty jeans with dirty boots. He held the door open for her and she looked into his baby blue eyes, smiling as politely as she could manage, "Thank you."

He grunted a response and let the door swing shut behind her. She sat down at the bar her arms on the counter, she rested her head in her hand, and watched out the window as the guy who had held the door for her climbed into a truck and drove off. "What's wrong?" Johanna, one of the other waitresses asked.

She sighed, "I don't know how I can afford to take care of my mother any more. The doctor wants her moved, but it's too expensive. I need to get more hours."

"Good luck with that, mine were just cut. It probably won't be long before yours are too."

Lucy closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to keep back the tears, "I don't know what I'm going to do."

"There's always stripping, they make good money."

Lucy looked at her, an eyebrow arched in disgust.

"I'm joking," Johanna smiled. "I know it's hard," she placed her hand over Lucy's, giving it a squeeze, "You'll figure something out. I know you will."

"Not soon enough."

Johanna walked away for a moment, then came back with a slice of key lime pie, "On me, to cheer you up."

Lucy picked up the fork, "Thanks."

* * *

On the drive back home, she saw it written across the marquee and pulled into the parking lot. She turned off the engine and sat there for a few minutes, debating on whether or not to go inside. It was an internal struggle. She may have been joking, but Johanna was right, they did make good money. But was Lucy really that desperate? She looked at the sign again, _now hiring dancers_. She took a deep breath and got out of her car.

When she walked in, she was greeted by two men, "Welcome to Bare Assets," one of them said.

She swallowed her pride and asked, "Who can I talk to about becoming a dancer?"

"Wait right here," the one that had spoken said before walking away. He came back a few minutes later with the manager, and Lucy was led to his office.

* * *

"When can you start?" he asked after the brief interview.

"Immediately."

He smiled, "You'll need a stage name."

She nodded, "I'll come up with something."

They shook hands and she left.

Lucy hurried home, and the first thing she did was check on her mom, she was asleep. She walked into the kitchen, it was getting close to nine, Lucy had been gone a lot longer than she had intended. It was too late to call the doctor back, that would have to wait until morning. She sighed and began washing the dishes. When she was done, she went to her room, changed into her pajamas, and went to bed. Still questioning herself, unbelieving that she had actually resorted to becoming a stripper.

_Author's Note: A wild Reedus (or Dixon) appeared in this chapter! And also, the first person who correctly guesses which Michael Rooker film the name of the strip club came from can be a stripper in the story._


	2. Cherokee Rose

_Author's Note: A quick thank you to ShutxThexFrontxDoor for her comment on the first chapter. And also, the Michael Rooker film was Super. There's also a strip club on Main Street here in Jacksonville with that name._

"Alright ma, I've got to go, Tiffany will be here in just a few minutes, okay?" Lucy kissed her mother's forehead.

"Where are you going?"

"Work, ma, I told you yesterday they're putting me on nights. That's when it's busiest with all of the truckers, so I can make more on tips."

"Oh…"

Lucy frowned slightly. "I'll see you in the morning."

Her mom nodded and Lucy left. She got in her car and drove to Bare Assets; she sat in the parking lot for just a few minutes, and ran her hand down her face. She couldn't believe she was there. She couldn't believe this was what she had resorted to. What was she supposed to do, though?

She finally grabbed her bag and went inside, through the employee entrance. She walked into the dressing room and heard some of the other girls whistle and make cat calls at her. She swallowed, trying not to show how nervous she was. She was riddled with anxiety and could barely focus. She quickly glanced around, noticing the other girls openly changing in front of each other, so she peeled her shirt off and began to do the same.

She blocked out some of the comments from other girls, and focused on herself. Another girl sat down on the chair next to the vanity Lucy was standing in front of, "Hey, new girl!"

"Hi," Lucy frowned slightly.

The other girl smiled, "First nights are always hell, and don't listen to them, they're just messing with you. They're actually pretty sweet, once you get to know them."

Lucy forced a smile for the girl.

"I'm Chanel."

"Lucy."

"What's your stage name?"

"Oh, um…Cherokee Rose."

Chanel looked her over, and smiled, nodding approvingly, "I like it."

Lucy smiled.

"You've never done anything like this before, have you?"

Lucy shook her head, "That obvious, huh?"

Chanel smiled again, and Lucy couldn't help but think she had an amazing smile, "Just loosen up, try to relax a little, it gets easier. I'll give you a few tips," Chanel told Lucy all of the things she had wished she had known on her first night, and even gave her a few pointers about lap dances. There was a knock on the door and one of the girls opened it.

"Chanel," she looked up at the guy in the doorway, her eyebrows arched, "You're up," he told her.

She stood and headed for the door, turning back around at the last moment, "If you're good, maybe I'll teach you how to work the pole," she said with a wink.

Lucy chuckled slightly as the door started to shut behind Chanel.

It opened back just as quickly and Lucy looked up. Chanel stuck her head inside and shouted, "And don't date clients! That's never a good idea." Chanel grinned before finally making her way to the stage.

* * *

Lucy was finally ready to make her first appearance as Cherokee Rose. She walked out onto the floor and looked around, trying to keep everything Chanel had said in mind. Be confident, look approachable, smile. She took a deep breath and started around the room, when she made eye contact with a man, he wore a sleeveless shirt, jeans, and boots. Lucy could see muscles in his arms without him even flexing. His hair was cut short, and he had baby blue eyes. She smiled and walked closer. "Aren't you as pretty as a flower?" he asked. His voice was rough.

"Is there anything I can do for you?"

"What's your name?"

She remembered how her conversation with Chanel started; it was the stage name she wanted. In here, Lucy didn't exist. In here, it was only Cherokee Rose. "Cherokee Rose."

He looked her up and down, and grinned, "Fitting."

Lucy had to force down the disgust. "So, is there anything I can do for you?" she smiled again.

"You must be new here," she nodded but he seemed to disregard it. She knew it was obvious anyways, "I haven't seen you around here before." He paused for a moment, "I guess there's no harm in a little bit of pleasure before business, why don't you come over here and give me a lap dance."

She gave him another weak smile and obliged, remembering what Chanel said.

"What time do you get off?" he asked, about half-way through.

"Two."

"Well, how about I buy you a drink at 2:15?"

Before she could reply, another man joined them, sitting across from them, he had an apprehensive look on his face. The man she was giving the lap dance to grabbed some money out of her wallet, and handed it to her, "Go on, Cherokee, you can finish this later."

She gave both men a smile and took the cash, happy to leave. "Please, there was no need to stop on my account," the other man said, sarcasm dripping from every word.

Lucy hurried away before she could hear another word.

A few hours passed, and Lucy tried not to focus on the men themselves, but on the money she received; the money that would help her mom get the care and treatment she needed. Lucy was lost in her thoughts when two hands clamped down on her shoulders, she jumped, slightly startled. She looked over her shoulder to see Chanel's smiling face, "You're doing great," Chanel told her.

Lucy tried to smile.

Chanel grinned, "You just have to loosen up a little," she gave Lucy's shoulders a shake, causing the fringe on her top to tickle her ribs.

"I'm trying, I just…"

Chanel nodded in understanding, stepping around Lucy so they faced each other, "I know. I was new once too. You get used to it though."

Lucy nodded.

"It'll get easier."

Lucy smiled again, a real smile this time, not the forced ones she'd been giving all night.

At two, Lucy clocked out and headed back to the dressing room to change. By 2:10, she was headed across the parking lot to her old beat-up BMW. She closed her eyes and frowned, stopping when she heard that southern drawl and gravel voice, "You're five minutes early."

She sighed and turned around, "What do you want?" He was leaning against the wall of the building, his arms crossed over his broad chest, and his legs crossed at the ankles.

He frowned, "That's no way to talk to a client."

Lucy rolled her eyes, "I'm sorry, how can I help you?"

"How about that drink?

"I was told it's a bad idea to date clients.

He chuckled and pushed himself off the wall, slowly stepping closer to her, "Well, then I guess I'll have to get my lap dances from someone else from now on."

The corners of her lips turned down for a moment, and she suppressed a grimace. What if the man was a psychopath? And she was in the parking lot alone with him? Why hadn't she waited for Chanel or one of the other girls that was still inside?

She was broken from her thoughts of being murdered when he said, "Where are my manners? I'm Merle, by the way."

She gave a slight smile, but she knew her expression showed what she was thinking, why in the world she would care about his name.

She started to her car again, "I've really got to go, I need to get home."

"What about that drink?"

"Some other time," Lucy got in her car, and left as quickly as she could, leaving Merle there dumbfounded.

* * *

Lucy took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. She decided on two things on the drive home, one, never walk through the parking lot at night on her own, and two, stay away from Merle.

When she went inside, her mom and Tiffany were both asleep. She woke Tiffany up and thanked her for staying; she had been worried about leaving her mom alone at night for the first time. "It wasn't a problem," Tiffany told her as Lucy walked her to the door. "Any time you need me, just call."

Lucy nodded and Tiffany stepped outside. Lucy watched her walk to the car, and once she was inside, Lucy shut and locked the door before going to the bathroom. She stripped down and turned the shower on, washing off the makeup, washing away the hairspray, washing away the filth and disgust. She turned the knob so that the temperature rose until she could barely stand it.

When her skin was good and red, she shut off the water and wrapped the towel around herself. She stepped out of the tub and walked over to the counter, looking at her reflection, at her eyes. The pain and self-loathing was growing inside her. She slammed her hand down on the counter, angry that this was what she had resorted to.

If only her great-grandmother had never sold their land back in Oklahoma. If only she hadn't of gone crazy and forgot where she put it; maybe, just maybe, Lucy would then have the money her mom needed. Then she wouldn't be on government assistance, she wouldn't be struggling to provide for them and make sure her mom had what she needed.

She sighed and looked at her reflection again, "You're doing it for your mom," she whispered, "She needs the money, she needs the care." She blinked away the tear and brushed her hair before walking into her room to put her pajamas on and crawl in bed. She was asleep the second her head hit the pillow.


	3. Just Tonight

_Author's Note: I had wanted to get this up this morning, but I was up until four RPing with a Merle on Tumblr. When I got up I was too exhausted to do any writing. Partially inspired by "Just Tonight" by The Pretty Reckless, I highly suggest listening to it._

After a month, Lucy was able to have her mom moved. She was also able to relax more at Bare Assets, thanks to Chanel. She had also seen Merle there a few times throughout the month, but to her relief, he hadn't bothered her. After her mom was moved, Lucy started coming in during the afternoon, so that Chanel could give her pole lessons while the club was still closed.

Lucy grimaced as she hit the floor, "My butt's gonna be bruised," she said, pushing herself up off the floor.

Chanel laughed, "You're doing a lot better though." Lucy rubbed the spot that had hit the floor hardest, frowning. "Try it like this," Chanel grabbed the pole and showed her slowly how she had performed the trick, swinging around it with ease.

Lucy sighed, and tried again.

Chanel grinned, "You got it," she cheered her on, and Lucy performed what Chanel had taught her. When Lucy's feet touched the floor again, she let go of the pole and turned to face Chanel, "I think you're ready."

* * *

Lucy watched Chanel's performance on the stage while Guns N Roses' "Welcome to the Jungle" blared throughout the club. She smiled, watching the girl's long hair fly through the hair as she tossed her head back. Chanel grabbed the pole and pulled herself up, with her legs wrapped around it, she let go, falling backwards, she slowly slid down, and reached out to take the money being handed to her. She smiled and winked at the guy.

As the song came to a close, Chanel took a bow. As she straightened again, she noticed Lucy hurrying to the back, she followed after her. She pushed open the bathroom door, "Cherokee, is everything okay?" She frowned, hearing the retching coming from the last stall. She walked over and knocked. "Lucy?"

A few seconds later she heard the toilet flush and the sound of the heels of Lucy's boots clicking against the tiles as she stood. The door unlocked and Lucy opened it. She walked over to the sink and washed her mouth, rinsing it out best she could.

"Are you okay?" Chanel asked, concerned.

Lucy shook her head, "I can't do this." She turned off the water and turned to face her friend.

Chanel grabbed her hands, "It'll be okay. It's just nerves, c'mon," she led her out of the bathroom and back into the dressing room. Lucy sat down on her vanity while Chanel dug a bottle out of her purse; she shook two pills into her hand and gave them to Lucy, "They'll help with the anxiety."

Lucy frowned for a moment, thinking about it. She sighed, and popped them into her mouth, tilting her head back and swallowing them dry. Chanel opened Lucy's make up bag and pulled out her tube of red lipstick, she carefully put it on Lucy. "It's gonna be okay, you're going to do great."

Lucy frowned, looking away. "Do you like this?"

Chanel was confused for a moment, the corner of her mouth twitched, and then she shrugged, "Yeah, kind of. I mean, it's fun once you get used to it." Chanel tilted her chin up so they made eye contact again, "I'm going to be out there, okay. If you get nervous, or you forget what to do, just look at me."

Lucy nodded, a half-smile on her lips.

Chanel ran her fingers through Lucy's long black hair, fluffing the curls and arranging the feathers that were threaded throughout it with small braids. "Go knock 'em dead."

Lucy nodded again and stood, they left the dressing room. Chanel left her on the other side of the curtain; winking and smiling encouragement. Lucy took a deep breath, listening to the emcee, "And making her debut on the stage tonight, let's hear a big round of applause for our newest little flower, Cherokee Rose!"

Lucy took a deep breath and stepped through the curtains, her eyes scanned the men sitting next to the stage, and she swallowed. She looked up and seen Chanel, grinning, she gave Lucy a thumbs up. Lucy smiled and did what Chanel had taught her, keeping her thoughts focused on her.

* * *

Merle walked in, and arched an eyebrow, seeing Cherokee Rose on stage for the first time. He smiled, impressed by how quickly she had learned. It didn't feel like it had already been a month since he had gotten that lap dance from her, of course, he hadn't been there every night either. He found himself a seat at the bar, and ordered before turning back around to watch the show.

Chanel hugged Lucy tight when she stepped off the stage, "I told you that you'd do great."

Lucy smiled, if it weren't for Chanel, she didn't know what she would do. "Thanks."

Lucy walked over to the bar to get bottled water, exhausted after her performance. In the dim lighting, she didn't even see Merle sitting there. "That was quite a show, Cherokee," he said while she waited for the bartender to bring her the bottle.

Her jaw tensed and she turned to look at him, "Thank you."

"So, can I buy you that drink now, or…?"

"I'm on the clock until two," she told him, taking the bottle from the bartender. She twisted the cap off. "And last call is at 1:50."

He sighed, his mouth twisted into a frown for a moment while he thought. "You could always come back to my place, I got drinks there."

She didn't even think about it. She wasn't sure if it was the pills Chanel had given her, or the fact that she felt like she had given up her dignity a month ago; maybe it was both. Lucy nodded.

"See you at two then?"

"Two fifteen, gotta have time to change."

He nodded, "See you later." He smiled devilishly, and she took a sip of her water before walking away.

* * *

When Lucy walked out into the parking lot, she saw Merle leaning against her car. "Still want that drink?" he asked.

She nodded and he smiled. Lucy followed him back to his house, and he opened the door for her. They walked into the kitchen and he got two beers out, handing her one. She took a sip and forced it down, trying not to frown at the taste. It was awful, how could people stand it?

He leaned against the counter and crossed his ankles, watching her nurse her beer. After a few minutes, he asked, "So, how did you end up at a place like that?"

She frowned, not sure she really wanted to share it with him. After taking another sip, she said, "My mom's sick, it's the only way I can afford her medical bills."

His lips pinched together as he looked her over again, he could tell that first night that she wasn't the typical 'working my way through nursing school' excuse. He watched her take another sip. "Come here."

She looked at him, arching an eyebrow.

Merle gestured for her to walk over to him, "I ain't gonna bite ya, c'mere."

She sat the beer down and stood, walking over to him. She stopped about a foot away. He sat his beer down on the counter, and uncrossed his ankles, standing straight. He grabbed her hand and pulled her closer, closing the gap. He placed his hands on her waist and he kissed her.

For a moment she was shocked, but what had she expected? It was late, and she had agreed to go to his house. She felt his hands on her back, pressing her against him. His hands slipped under the fabric of her shirt, sending shivers down her spine. Lucy closed her eyes and her head tilted back as he kissed a trail along her jaw and down her neck. He smiled against her skin and whispered, "Why don't we take this upstairs?"

She nodded and he took her hand, leading her to the bedroom.

Merle shut the door before picking Lucy up and dropping her onto his bed, he kissed her again, climbing on top of her. Her hands slid underneath his shirt, running over the muscles. He stood up again and pulled his shirt off, she sat up looking at the muscles. He smiled and grabbed the hem of her shirt, pulling it up over her head.

It didn't take much longer before they were completely undressed, and he pushed her back against the mattress again. She closed her eyes, feeling his lips on her neck again; he trailed kisses across her clavicle. Lucy bit her bottom lip when she felt his hand slide down her body and between her legs, a soft gasp escaping her when she felt his fingers against her.

Lucy slid her hands down his arms, slowly moving them over his muscles as his tongue flicked across her nipple. Lucy felt Merle reposition himself over her; sliding her legs apart he teased her with the tip of his erection. She opened her eyes, looking at him, he smiled and kissed her again and her thighs squeezed against him as he pushed into her. He started sliding in and out, picking up the pace with each thrust, going harder and deeper. Lucy's fingers curled, her nails digging into his skin. She felt him nip at her neck again, and she couldn't contain the moans that escaped her.

After they had both found their release, Merle collapsed on her chest, they were both panting. Merle rolled off of her, lying beside her. Lucy didn't even remember falling asleep next to him until she woke up the next morning.


	4. Pool of Tears

A small moan escaped Lucy's lips as sleep slowly left her. She stretched in the bed before she opened her eyes to the unfamiliar surroundings. It took her a few moments to remember the events of the night before. She sighed and rolled over, facing Merle. He was already awake, sitting up in bed, his bare back to her.

She sucked in her bottom lip, chewing on it as she saw the scars that crisscrossed it. She swallowed, debating on whether or not to ask about them. She decided against it when he turned his head, looking at her.

"G'mornin," he said.

"Good morning." She sat up, keeping herself covered with the thin blanket.

He smirked at her attempt at modesty, she was a stripper and she had slept with him the night before, there was no modesty left.

He bent down and picked her clothes up off the floor, handing them to her. She quickly got dressed and they walked downstairs, Merle still shirtless, but wearing pants.

* * *

Daryl pulled up to the house in the morning and sighed, seeing the unknown car in the parking lot. Merle had brought home another whore. He shook his head, and got out of the pick-up truck.

He walked into the house and seen Merle and the girl on the stairs. There was something about her that seemed vaguely familiar, he just couldn't place her. He started to say something, but shut his mouth, deciding that Merle had probably slept with her on another night.

"Daryl," Merle said with a smile, "You're home."

Daryl nodded, "Who's that?"

"Cherokee."

"Lucy," she said, her voice low.

Merle turned slightly, an eyebrow arched. Daryl watched as the corner of her mouth twitched.

She shrugged slightly, "That's my real name," her voice was still low, almost a whisper.

Daryl looked her over, deciding she was a stripper. Why else would she have two names? Those thoughts were confirmed when Merle asked, "You gonna be at the club tonight?"

She shook her head, "It's my night off." They looked at each other, making eye contact. Lucy bit her lip, without Chanel's pills or a beer; her nerves were getting to her. "I've got to go," she finally said. "I have things to do today."

Merle nodded, "I'll see you around then."

She nodded in return and turned away from him. As she walked past Daryl, they made eye contact, a flicker of recognition was in her eyes, but she couldn't place him either. She offered him a small smile, and he turned away.

* * *

When Lucy got home, she went straight to the bathroom, wanting to wash away the night before. She took her shoes off and brushed her teeth. Then she turned the shower on, while the water warmed up, she took the feathers out of her hair and undressed. She looked at herself in the mirror, and closed her eyes, trying to keep her tears at bay. All she could feel for herself was disgust.

It was one thing having to strip so she could afford her mom's medical bills, but now she was a whore too. She'd went home with a strange man, and had a one night stand. She stepped into the tub and closed her eyes, letting the water run over her face.

She scrubbed vigorously with the loofa sponge. She tried to push aside thoughts of Merle. She shook her head, sighing. She didn't want to remember the feeling of his arms around her, or his skin against hers, the way he touched and kissed her. She sat down in the tub, and covered her face with her hands. She cried. She sat there, sobbing. Lucy no longer had any self-respect, she felt like she had lost all her dignity, and the night before was the final nail in the coffin. She drew her knees up to her chest, and let the tears keep coming. She was alone, and didn't have to worry about anyone else at that moment. She could just wallow in her own shame.

When she was certain there was no more liquid left in her tear ducts, she stood and turned off the water. She wrapped a towel around herself and stepped out of the tub. She brushed her hair and got dressed, then left.

* * *

Lucy smiled and thanked the orderly that had led her to her mom's room. They walked away and Lucy stepped inside. Her mom looked up at her with a smile, "Lucy."

Lucy grinned, "Hello, ma. How are you?"

Her mom shrugged. Lucy sighed and walked over, sitting down next to her. "How are you, dear?" her mom asked.

"I'm fine," she smiled reassuringly, even though she felt anything but fine.

Her mom reached over and grasped her hand, "I worry about you dear."

"Don't. You don't need to stress yourself worrying about me." She paused, trying to think of a way to change the subject. "How do you like it here?"

Her mom nodded, "It's nice."

Lucy smiled.

She spent the day with her mom, they played chess and Lucy read to her. Before Lucy knew it, there was a nurse at the door, "Miss Thornton?"

Lucy looked up, "Yes?"

"Visiting hours are over."

Lucy sighed and nodded. She looked at her mom, and smiled. She gave her a hug and kissed her cheek, "I'll be back as soon as I can."

Her mom nodded.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

Lucy straightened and gently squeezed her mom's hand before leaving.

* * *

Lucy pulled into the parking lot at the diner and walked inside. Johanna grinned when she saw her. "Lucy!" Lucy smiled and Johanna hugged her tight. "How have you been?" she asked, "How's…"

"I'm fine, she's fine."

Johanna smiled, "How's stripping?"

Lucy shrugged, "About what I expected."

"Well, sit somewhere."

Lucy nodded and walked over to the bar, taking her usual barstool. A few minutes later, she heard the bell ring as the door was opened. She turned slightly so she could see who walked in. Merle and Daryl. Merle grinned when he saw her, and Daryl frowned.

Now Daryl remembered, he had seen her here plenty of times before, waitressing. She'd never been his waitress and after not seeing her for a month he had forgotten her.

Merle walked over to her, smiling, and Daryl followed. "Funny seeing you here," he said, sitting down next to her. She offered him a weak smile, glanced behind him at Daryl, then back to Merle.

"I used to work here," she said, confirming what Daryl had thought.

"Yeah, maybe that's why Daryl likes this place so much," he clamped his arm around Daryl's shoulders.

Daryl scowled, "They have the best key lime pie." He said it right as Johanna walked up.

She smiled wide, "I make it myself," she told him.

Daryl frowned and averted his gaze.

"Lucy, who are your friends?"

"I wouldn't really call-" she started but was cut off.

"Dixon," Merle introduced himself. "Merle Dixon, and this is my brother Daryl."

Johanna smiled. "Are y'all ready to order?" she asked.

Merle smiled, "I haven't quite had a chance to look at the menu, darlin."

Her smile grew wider, "Of course." She walked away, a slight sway to her hips. An attempt to get a bigger tip.

Lucy rolled her eyes. Merle noticed, "You aren't jealous, are ya, Cherokee?"

She fought the groan and shook her head, "Why would I be jealous?"

Merle shrugged, placing his arm around her shoulders. "After last night…"

She stopped him, "I don't want to talk about last night," she told him, lifting his hand from her shoulder, and letting it fall behind her.

"You don't suddenly think you're too good for ol' Merle now, do ya?" he asked.

She rolled her eyes, "I've never done anything like last night before, and I don't intend to start now."

Merle smirked and she turned away from him. Of course, a worry-free dinner and a friendly chat with Johanna would be too much to ask for. "What if I buy you dinner next time?" he asked.

She arched an eyebrow, "You asking me out on a date?" she scoffed.

"If that's what it takes."

Daryl just shook his head, not bothering to look at the two.


	5. Wool and Water

As the three of them ate their dinner, Merle continued chatting with Lucy. When she got up to go to the bathroom, Merle said, "She's something else, isn't she?"

Daryl rolled his eyes, "You already fucked her, why don't you just leave her alone?"

Merle frowned, "What? I'm not allowed to have a relationship?"

"You've never been a 'relationship' kind of guy. You're not much into monogamy."

Merle scowled, "Who are you to judge. I've never seen you with a woman, period."

"I'm ready to go home," Daryl said, getting out his wallet to pay for his meal."

"I got it," Merle said.

Daryl put his wallet back and walked outside, headed for the truck. Lucy walked back to the bar to pay for her food, "Already took care of it Sugarplum," he told her.

She arched an eyebrow and he smiled. "I'm not going home with you tonight."

"Tomorrow night then?" She rolled her eyes, waved goodbye to Johanna and headed for the door. Merle got up and followed behind her. He walked with her to her car, "So, Cherokee am I going to see you at the club tomorrow?"

"If you mean will I be there, then yes. As to whether or not you'll be there, that's out of my control."

"You're a feisty one, I like that."

She turned around to face him. He was grinning. She shook her head, as much as she hated to admit it, he was rather attractive, and damn good in bed too. She fought it, but in the end, she couldn't help but smile back.

"I'll see you tomorrow." She watched him walk over to the truck and climb in. Him and Daryl driving away

She got in her car, and pushed her hair back. She started it up and drove out of the parking lot. As hard as she tried, she couldn't get Merle out of her head. She even went to bed thinking about him.

A few days later, she went home with him again, and this time she got high with him. By the time she woke up, it was late in the afternoon. Merle wasn't in the bedroom, so she quickly got dressed and made her way downstairs to the kitchen. Daryl was sitting at the table, cleaning a crossbow. She arched an eyebrow; he didn't even look at her. "Where's Merle?"

"Workin."

She frowned. After a brief pause, she asked, "So, y'all live together?"

He nodded slightly, "I'm hardly here, so it's easier sharing bills with him then trying to pay for a place I'm almost never at." He finally looked up at her. She was definitely attractive; he could see why his brother was so drawn to her. "Also lets me keep an eye on him, he tends to get into trouble."

Lucy frowned.

"Lucy, right?"

She nodded. There was another pause; he just looked at her, studying her. She finally sighed, "I've got to go. Tell Merle I'll see him next time he's at the club."

Daryl nodded again and went back to his crossbow. They didn't say another word as she walked back into the other room, putting on her shoes and grabbing her purse and keys from where she dropped them the night before. She sighed with relief once she stepped outside. A lot of thoughts crossed her mind on her drive home, thoughts of Merle, the drugs she had used the night before, and the odd way Daryl acted around her. She was almost certain he didn't like her.

A couple of months passed, and she continued seeing Merle, going home with him regularly. It didn't take long for her to develop a drug addiction. When she wasn't at the club, she was with him. Eventually it just made sense for her to move in with him. One night they got into a fight, and he hit her. He laid down grumbling a bunch of obscenities at her. She turned and left the bedroom, walking downstairs.

Daryl looked up as she walked into the kitchen, he had gotten used to her presence and wasn't as hard towards her anymore. She didn't even seem to notice him sitting at the table. She was half dressed and walked over to the fridge; he cleared his throat, calling attention to himself. She barely glanced at him. "Everything okay?" he asked.

She turned to look at him, and his eyes widened, seeing what had happened. She had a black eye and her lip was busted and swollen.

"What the hell happened?"

"He…I…" she gestured helplessly with her hands, "I made him mad." Her voice was low.

Daryl shook his head; he had known Merle would end up turning into their father. He couldn't even begin to count how many times he had seen his mom looking like that. "That's no reason."

She shook her head slightly, "I think it's the drugs." She started to say something else, but her words trailed off. She was in a daze. Her head lolled to the side and her eyelids fluttered. Daryl stood up and walked over to her, he was afraid to touch her, she looked so weak and frail.

"Look at me," his tone was soft. She did. "You shouldn't let him treat you like this."

The next morning, she was gone. For the next month, whenever he'd come in the club, she'd switch with Chanel to avoid him. She managed to sober up some. One night, he came in while she was on stage; he sat down, and waited for her to finish her routine before confronting her. "Merle, please, I'm working."

"I just want to talk to you for a minute."

She shook her head, "I don't have anything to say to you."

He sighed, "I'm sorry, okay. I won't do it again, I promise, sugarplum. I don't want to hurt ya."

She frowned.

"Let me make it up to you."

She stared at the floor for a few minutes before finally sighing and nodding her head.


	6. A Long Tale

A couple of days later, Daryl returned home, not knowing that Merle had won Lucy back. He went upstairs, and started a shower. Down the hall, Lucy woke up and rolled out of the empty bed. She yawned and looked around, Merle had already left. She stretched and went downstairs to the kitchen and made herself some breakfast. When she was done, she emptied the dish drainer, putting away the clean dishes so she could wash the dirty ones.

Daryl came downstairs in just a pair of pants, not knowing he wasn't alone in the house. "Shit! Lucy, I didn't know you were here," he started to turn away and then thought better of it.

She turned to face him, "I didn't know you were here either or I would've offered to make you breakfast too."

He shrugged, "I'm not hungry. It's kind of past breakfast time anyways."

She glanced at the clock on the microwave, it was 11:45. She sighed, "Daryl, you're tall."

"I'm taller than you."

She frowned, "I wasn't done talking." She walked over to the cabinet where the plates and cups were and opened it, "I knocked one over back there and can't reach it. Can you get it?"

He sighed and reluctantly walked over to her, he reached up and picked up the cup in the back of the top shelf and turned it right. As he reached for the cup, Lucy noticed the scars on his back. A small gasp escaped her and quickly turned his back away from her, frowning.

"What happened?" she asked him.

He shook his head, "It's nothin'."

She frowned; she had seen similar scars on Merle's back but hadn't bothered to ask, thinking he wouldn't share with her. She should've known Daryl wouldn't tell her. "I'm sorry, it's not my business." She pursed her lips, her mouth formed a thin white line and she looked away.

He sighed and looked at her, "It wasn't Merle, if that's what yer thinkin'."

She shook her head, "I wasn't." There was an awkward silence before she broke it, "I know you don't really like me, but if you need someone to talk to, I don't mind listening."

His eyebrows furrowed, "What makes you think I don't like you?"

The corner of her mouth twitched as she thought. She shrugged, "The way you act around me, you're not exactly friendly or welcoming."

It was his turn to shrug again, "I'm like that to everybody." They stared at each other for a moment before he finally said, "Our dad wasn't exactly a good dad."

"He did that? To you and Merle?"

Daryl nodded.

She pursed her lips again, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." He turned and walked away, going back upstairs to put a shirt on. It was one thing when he was home alone, but having Lucy there, he didn't want to walk around letting her gawk at his scars. She finished what she had been doing in the kitchen before going upstairs to change. When she came out of the bedroom and walked back downstairs she found Daryl sitting on the couch, "You workin' tonight?" he asked as she started gathering her things to leave.

She shook her head, "No, I'm going to visit my mom, then I'm meeting with a friend. We're gonna go see a movie."

"Oh," he wasn't sure how else to respond. Finally he asked, "How's she doin?"

Lucy shook her head slightly, "They say she won't make it another year, if that long…"

"I lost my mom too. I know it's not the same, but…I know how it feels."

A smile started to touch the corner of her lips, "What happened?"

He shook his head, "You wouldn't want to hear about it."

She bit her lip but didn't pry any further. She had a feeling that at the right time, Daryl would come around and open up to her.

* * *

After she left her mom, she met with Johanna at the theater. It was close to midnight when she returned to the house. She frowned when she saw the unfamiliar car in the drive way. She looked around, Merle was home, but Daryl wasn't. She got out of her car and went inside. Nobody was downstairs so she headed upstairs and pushed open the bedroom door, trying to control her temper, "Really, Merle! In the bed we share together!"

He broke away from the half-naked girl that was sitting next to him and frowned at Lucy, surprised by her presence, "I thought you had to work tonight."

"I told you I was going to see a movie with Johanna! And that's still no reason to bring this whore here!"

"Cherokee…"

She shook her head and turned away, not wanting to hear his excuses. She hurried downstairs and walked outside, stopping on the porch when she seen Daryl pull up. She sat down on one of the chairs as he made his way towards her, and she put her elbows on her knees, holding her head in her hands. "What happened?" he asked, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a pack of cigarettes.

She shook her head, "He has some whore upstairs in our bed."

Daryl sighed, sticking one of the cigarettes to his lips and lighting it. He offered it to her and she shook her head. Before he had a chance to make a response, the "whore" in question opened the door, walking out onto the porch. She glared at Lucy, which made Lucy even madder. She stood, "You better get the fuck out of my sight," she stepped closer to the woman, but Daryl wrapped an arm around her, pulling her back.

The woman hurried to her car and left. Lucy relaxed a little in Daryl's arms. Merle opened the door and looked at her, frowning. He glared at the two of them. "Daryl, give us some privacy. He let go of Lucy but she reached out and grabbed his forearm, holding him in place.

"He's not going anywhere."

Daryl shifted uncomfortably, not wanting to be in the middle of this. He didn't understand why Lucy had to come back to Merle. She had been smart enough to take his advice and leave, so what had suddenly made her stupid enough to take Merle back?

Merle walked over and grabbed her wrist, yanking her hand from Daryl's arm he pulled her inside, "Let go of me!" She pulled, trying to get out of his grip, but he was stronger than her. "Merle, let go!"

He pulled her around him so that he could stand in front of the door, "What was that all about?"

She scoffed; surprised that he'd think she shouldn't be mad, "I don't know, maybe it has something to do with the fact that you had another woman in the bed we share!" He pulled her closer and she could smell the alcohol on his breath. He was drunk, and most likely had been doing drugs too. He started to speak but she cut him off, "Now let go, you're hurting me!"

Before he could form a response, Daryl was in the doorway, "Merle!" he was frowning. It wasn't often that Daryl got in his way, and he rarely went against him, if ever. Merle let go of Lucy and turned to face his brother. Daryl stood there with his arms crossed over his chest, anger on his face.

Merle looked from his little brother back to Lucy, then growled, "You two can have each other, I'm goin to bed!"

He pushed past Lucy and shuffled up the stairs. She winced when they heard the bedroom door slam shut. Daryl sighed, shaking his head. He shut the door and locked it before kicking his shoes off. He turned and watched Lucy sit down on the couch. "You gonna leave again?" he asked.

She shook her head, "No, I'll just wait until he falls asleep, it shouldn't take long. I'm tired, and it's late, I don't really feel like going anywhere."

He gave her a half smile and sat down next to her on the couch. "Let me see your wrist." She reached over and he took it in his hands, it would be bruised but she'd be okay other than that. "Why do you let him treat you like that?"

She shrugged and shook her head, "Maybe some sick part of me enjoys it." She looked over at him and couldn't help but laugh at the look on his face.

"You're not funny," he told her. She quit laughing and her lips pinched into a thin line. She sighed loudly and looked away from him. "How's your mom?" he asked, remembering her telling him she was going to see her.

"Only getting worse. I think she's worried about me."

There was a long silence, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Finally, Daryl broke it, "My mom died when I was real young," she turned and looked at him, he wasn't looking at her. "I was out playing, Merle was gone. Fire trucks went by, going to our house." He sighed, other than when it first happened, it was the first time he had told anyone the story, "She liked to smoke, and she liked to smoke in bed. She fell asleep with her cigarette lit, burned the house down, her in it."

Lucy took his hand and squeezed it, "That's terrible."

He nodded in agreement before looking at her. "Our dad was really abusive; you think my back looks bad, Merle endured a lot worse. We basically had to raise each other 'cause our dad just didn't care. I got lost in the woods once, I was real little, and I was gone for days and no one even noticed. I ended up using poison ivy as toilet paper, and when I came home I went straight to the kitchen and made a sandwich."

She laughed.

"That's not funny."

"Your itchy butt is very funny."

He scowled and her smile widened.

When her laughter died down they just sat there in silence again, enjoying each other's company. They couldn't hear any noise coming from upstairs, so Lucy assumed Merle was asleep. "I'm going to bed, now," she told him, standing.

Daryl nodded, "See you in the morning."

She nodded in return and he watched her go up the stairs.

She quietly pushed open the bedroom door, and stepped inside, carefully closing the door behind her. Merle laid there, his back to her. She stripped out of her clothes and changed into a pair of cotton shorts and a t-shirt. As she crawled into bed next to him, he rolled over to face her. "You get real cozy with Daryl downstairs?" he asked. He had heard her laughter.

She frowned, "No. I only came up here because I thought you were asleep by now." She laid down with her back to him.

She felt his arm slip around her and her frown deepened, "Don't be like that Cherokee."

"How am I supposed to be? You had another woman in our bed, then you hurt me."

"I wasn't trying to hurt you; sometimes I forget my own strength. He took her hand and lifted it up in the air. She felt the mattress move as he propped himself up on his elbow, and kissed her bruising wrist. He lowered her hand back down and put his arm around her. He was hovering over her, and she glared at him out of the corner of her eye, "I won't do it again, I swear.

She turned slightly and he smiled. She reluctantly gave into him.


	7. Advice from a Caterpillar

_Author's Note: Sorry it's short and uneventful. It's been a while though, and I figured I'd throw in a little bit of Merle fluff since he's been so mean to Lucy lately._

When Lucy woke up the next morning, she smiled, her eyes still closed. She felt Merle's lips against her skin between her shoulder blades and she let out a content smile before finally opening her eyes. It was getting close to eleven. "You're late for work," she told him.

"I ain't goin' today," he told her, between kisses, his breath against her skin tickled, "It's my day off."

"Oh." He continued kissing her, making a trail up to her shoulder and her neck where he gently nipped the skin. She felt his hand on her arm, it slowly slid down to her wrist, and she winced as his fingers brushed across the bruise that had formed there. He didn't say anything as his fingers intertwined with hers, and she leaned back against him. She turned her head to look up at him, "What's gotten into you this morning?" she asked.

He brought her hand up to his face and kissed the bruise, and she winced again, "I was feelin' bad about last night. I wanted to make it up to you."

"I would have settled for breakfast in bed, but this is nice too," she teased him with a smile, and he nipped her neck again.

"We can eat in a little while." He moved so she could lay flat on her back and he kissed her lips, his tongue sliding into her mouth as her arms wrapped around his neck. His hand covered her stomach, his fingers tracing lines as they slid down to the waist band of her pajamas.

It was well after noon when they made their way downstairs to eat. It was just the two of them there; Daryl had left that morning to go hunting. After they ate, they returned upstairs. They spent the rest of their afternoon smoking weed and having sex. Around seven thirty, Merle asked, "What time do you have to be at the club?"

"I should be there by eight thirty so I can get changed and everything before I clock in at nine."

"I'm hungry."

She laughed, "I think we have a frozen pizza downstairs."

He stood up, pulling out of her arms. He pulled on his pants, "I'll do down and start making it while you get dressed."

She nodded and crawled out of bed behind him, going to her dresser and pulling drawers out to find something to wear. When she walked downstairs, she was fidgeting with the straps on a dress. It was a halter top that tied behind her neck, and she couldn't get the knot out, "Merle, I need you."

"Again, sugarplum? I'm not sure we have time for that," he teased.

She grinned, a faint blush tinting her cheeks. She lightly punched his arm, "I can't get this knot out, it's too tight and it's hurting my neck."

She turned her back to him, and she felt his fingers brushing across her skin while she held up her hair. He got the knot out and began to retie it, "How's that? It too tight?"

"No." He finished tying it and she turned to face him, his hands came to rest on her hips and he pulled her against him, pressing a kiss to her lips. They were interrupted by the sound of the oven beeping to let them know it had finished pre-heating. He pulled away from her and opened the oven door, placing the pan with the pizza inside.

He closed the door while she set the oven timer. It kept switching from 10 minutes to 20 minutes then back to 10. She groaned in frustration, "It's not cooperating," she told him.

He laughed, "That's because you ain't operatin' it right." She frowned when he batted her hand away and set it for 14 minutes. He turned back to her, grinning, "You're so cute when you're mad." Her frown deepened and he lifted her up, sitting her on the counter across from the oven. He stood between her legs, his hands on her thighs as he kissed her again. Her hands rested on his shoulders.

The door opened and Daryl walked in, making his way into the kitchen. He sat his crossbow down on the table and walked over to the oven, turning the fan on, "Don't y'all know how the fan works? It's gonna get smoky in here and the smoke alarm will go off."

Lucy bit her bottom lip while Merle glared at him.

Daryl sighed and looked them over, "I guess y'all made up?"

Lucy nodded.

"It ain't your business," Merle told him.

Daryl rolled his eyes before walking to the fridge to get something to drink before heading upstairs to take a shower.

When Lucy made it to the club she walked into the dressing room, happy for a change. She smiled at Chanel and made her way to her vanity beside her. "Oh my God!" Chanel said as Lucy reached up to untie her dress. "What happened to you?"

Lucy looked at the bruise for the first time that day. It was dark purple and ugly, and you could see the outlines of Merle's fingers. She covered it with her hand, frowning from the ache that came with touching it, "It's nothing. It was an accident."

Chanel took her hand and looked at the bruise, "Lucy, what did he do to you?"

She shook her head, "It's nothing." She pulled her hand free.

"You need to leave him. Stop letting him hurt you."

"Chanel, its sweet that you're concerned, but I promise it's nothing. It was an accident; he didn't realize his grip was that hard." She paused, not sure her friend would really buy that, "You should have seen him afterwards, he felt awful."

Chanel sighed, reluctantly giving into her friend, "I just don't want to see you hurt again."

Lucy smiled, touched that Chanel was so concerned about her, "Trust me, everything's fine. If it wasn't, you'd be the first to know."

"Promise?"

Lucy nodded and Chanel gave her a small smile.


	8. The Queen's Croquet Ground

**klreyes91: Thanks, doll. I'm not going to stop. I love Merle and Lucy too much. I just don't update frequently because I'm lazy. I already came up with another Merle/Lucy story, I just don't know if it'll be a one shot or multi-chaptered yet.**

**ShutxThexFrontxDoor: I know you like the fluff! I don't know if it's the margarita cupcakes, or being in the middle of nowhere, but I have found more inspiration. And of course Chanel's gonna be in it more, she's Lucy's best friend!**

A couple of months passed, and with it came winter. Lucy's wrist, which turned out to be fractured, healed, and Merle was careful not to hurt her again. They didn't fight, and he got smarter about hiding his indescretions. December came, and with it, holiday cheer. On Lucy's day off, she and Chanel did some Christmas shopping, ending the day with a visit to her mom.

"Hey ma," Lucy said when she walked into the room. "How are you feeling?"

"I could be worse," she said, opening her arms so Lucy could bend down and hug her. "Who's this?" she asked, gesturing to Chanel.

"This is my friend...Chanel." she frowned slightly, realizing she had never learned her real name.

"Oh, like the designer?" her mother smiled.

Chanel grinned, "Just call me Coco," she laughed.

"I'm Dharma," Lucy's mom said, laughing at their little joke.

"It's a pleasure to meet you."

Dharma turned back to Lucy and looked her daughter over, "Lucy, is everything okay?"

She frowned, "Yeah, why wouldn't it be?"

"You look thin. Are you sick?"

Lucy shook her head, "No, I'm fine."

"Are you eating?" she asked, lifting the hem of Lucy's shirt to see her stomach.

Lucy stepped back out of her mother's reach, "Yes, mom, I'm eating."

Dharma looked at Chanel, "Is she eating?"

Chanel nodded.

Dharma looked back at her daughter, "I worry about you."

"I know, mom, and you need to stop. I'm fine, okay."

Dharma sighed. After a brief pause, she looked back up at Lucy, "Are you seeing anyone, honey?"

Lucy bit her lip, not sure if she should tell her about Merle. They'd been together for a few months, and she hadn't felt the need to tell her mom before. Her mom had also never asked before. She glanced at Chanel, who smiled with a raised eyebrow, anxious to see what Lucy would say. Finally she nodded, "Yeah."

"Tell me all about him."

"Uh...well...His name's Merle, he's...older."

Chanel laughed and Lucy frowned.

"Like mother like daughter," Dharma joked. Lucy's father had been 14 years older than her mother.

Lucy couldn't help but smile. She told her mom as little about Merle as she could manage.

"Are you going to let me meet him?"

"Um..."

Dharma frowned, "Lucy, I'm gonna die soon-"

"Mom, don't say that."

She reached over and grabbed her daughter's hand, squeezing it. "It's something you have to face, whether you want to or not. I'd like to see you with somebody, I'd like to know that you're happy before I go."

Lucy nodded, "Okay, mom. I'll talk to him. Maybe he'll come with me next time."

Dharma smiled.

* * *

Lucy came home with her shopping bags and carried them upstairs, sticking them inside her closet. When she returned downstairs, she started putting up the Christmas tree. When Merle got home, she was stringing lights on it, "What are you doing?"

She turned to face him, a string of lights in her hands, "What does it look like? I'm getting into the holiday spirit."

He frowned and walked into the kitchen. She continued what she was doing. He walked back into the room with a beer in hand and sat down on the couch, watching her decorate. She glanced at him as she hung ornaments, "My mama wants to meet you." He frowned, which caused her to frown too, "Please Merle, it would mean a lot to her."

"When?" he asked.

"Well, I'm going to see her again on Christmas."

He thought about it for a moment. They didn't have any real Christmas plans anyways, it wasn't like either of them had family to go see. He had Daryl, and she had her mom. He nodded, "Okay, Christmas then."

She smiled and walked over to him and kissed him, "Thank you." She stood straight again, "Now will you come put the star on the tree? I can't reach."

He smiled and did as she asked. The rest of her afternoon was spent wrapping the few Christmas presents she bought.

* * *

When Lucy walked into the dressing room the next night, she found Chanel in front of her vanity getting ready to take the stage, "Somebody's gonna be on the naughty list this year," Lucy teased.

Chanel stood and turned to face her, a smile on her face. She was dressed in a red bra and a red mini skirt with white fur trim. She also wore black boots and a Santa hat on top of her carefully curled hair, "How do I look?" she gave a quick spin.

"The sexiest Mrs. Claus I've ever seen."

Chanel's smile broadened into a grin. "So, did you talk to Merle about going to meet your mom?"

Lucy nodded, "We're going to go see her on Christmas."

"I can't believe you didn't tell her about him sooner."

Lucy shrugged, "I never came up.

* * *

On Christmas morning, Lucy made pancakes for breakfast. After she and the Dixons ate, they exchanged presents. There wasn't much, but it was a short period of time where they felt normal. After Lucy washed the dishes, they got dressed and went to visit her mom.

"Merry Christmas," she said as she walked into the room.

Dharma looked up with a smile, "Good morning, Lucy." She looked behind her daugther to the two men standing there, "So, which one's Merle?"

Lucy stifled a chuckle and took Merle's hand, "This is Merle, and his brother Daryl."

Dharma's smile widened, "Wow! I figured the other one would be more your type."

"Mom!"

She looked at her daughter, "They're both handsome though."

Lucy's jaw tightened. Her's and Daryl's cheeks flushed and Merle laughed, "I don't think anybody's called me handsome before."

"It's a more rugged sort of handsome."

The grin stayed on Merle's face as Dharma continuously embarrassed Lucy, even though that wasn't her goal.

_Author's Note: Because who doesn't like writing about Christmas in the middle of May?_


	9. The Mock Turtle's Story

**Klreyes91: Thank you, doll! I blushed a little too when I wrote it.**

**ShutxThexFrontxDoor: You make me grin so big, do you know how much I love you? Lucy's my favorite OC too.**

December ended, and when the New Year came, Lucy spent her first day off taking down her Christmas decorations. Daryl came home in the afternoon, before Merle, he had gotten the mail on his way down the driveway. "This came for you," he said, tossing an envelope to Lucy.

"Thanks," she said, opening it and pulling the letter out. She read it carefully; it was about her mother's health insurance. It was time for her annual review. She groaned and walked upstairs, grabbing a legal pad and a pen off her dresser, and the phone from the cradle, she fell across her bed and dialed the number. She was put on hold for over an hour, just lying there, bored, she ended up falling asleep.

When Merle got home, it was evening; the sun was starting to set. He walked into the house, and into the kitchen. Daryl sat at the table with his crossbow and various other hunting items spread out in front of him, "What're you doin'?" Merle asked, even though it was obvious.

"Goin' huntin' in the mornin'," Daryl responded.

"Where's Cherokee?"

"Upstairs; she's been on the phone all afternoon."

Merle grabbed a beer out of the fridge and headed upstairs. He opened the door and found Lucy lying there asleep. Her long hair was pulled back, a feather dangling from the elastic. She had the phone pressed to her ear in one hand, a pen in the other. The legal pad was under her head, some doodling and writing on it, papers surrounded her as well.

He took the phone from her hand, hearing the disconnected signal without putting it to his ear. He was about to push the button to end the call when the battery finally died. He sat it back down on the cradle to charge, then gathered everything off the bed and sat the papers on the nightstand. He plucked the pen from her hand it laid it aside, then scooped her up and laid her back down so that she wasn't laying across the bed and taking up the whole mattress. He smiled at her when her eyelids fluttered and she mumbled something inarticulate in her sleep.

He caressed her cheek and leaned down to kiss her forehead before going back downstairs to make a sandwich.

When Lucy woke up in the morning, she groaned. It was still dark outside; she looked at the clock on her night stand. It was almost five. She crawled out of bed, stretching and yawning as she did. Then she headed downstairs, her stomach grumbling. When she walked into the kitchen, she found Daryl eating a bowl of cereal, "'Bout to leave?" she asked.

He nodded, "Goin' huntin'."

"Be careful," she told him. She smiled when a slight frown touched the corner of his lips, "Good luck," she told him.

She reached up and rubbed the back of her neck. Even though she had been moved, her neck hurt from sleeping in such an uncomfortable position with the phone to her ear for so long. She grabbed a bowl from the counter. "How's yer mom?" Daryl asked, knowing the letter she'd gotten was from the insurance company.

She shrugged, "She's getting worse. She acts like she's fine, but I know she's just trying to keep me from worrying." She frowned, looking at the clock; she'd have to call the insurance company again when they opened. Hopefully she wouldn't be on hold for as long.

They ate their breakfast together in a comfortable silence. Since she'd moved in, he had quit being so hard towards her. He'd gotten used to her, and they had sort of bonded in a way. And when she was upset about her mom's illness, he comforted her the best he could. He wasn't good at it, and he didn't always know what to say, but she always smiled and thanked him for being there for her.

A couple of months passed. It was early spring, and the weather was beginning to warm. That's when it happened, "Hello?" Lucy answered the phone.

"Hi, can I speak to a Lucille Thornton?"

"This is she."

"Hi, this is Alexis, from Saint Michael's…" Lucy didn't need to hear the rest to know what the call was about. "I'm sorry to tell you," Alexis continued, "Your mother passed away this morning."

Lucy put the phone down, not wanting to hear the rest of what the woman had to say. She sat back down on the couch, still clutching the phone in her hand, the other one covering her face as she squeezed her eyes shut, trying to fight off the tears.

"Lucy, is everything okay?" Daryl asked, noticing her sudden reaction. Merle looked up and over at her.

She reached out, handing the phone to him, "I don't wanna talk to her," she shook her head. She kept her voice low, trying to keep from breaking into hysterical sobbing.

Merle took the phone from her and she went upstairs, the bedroom door slamming shut behind her.

When she did come back down, Merle was asleep on the couch, and Daryl was sitting in a chair watching TV. He noticed her walk into the kitchen, and he followed her, "Are you okay?" he asked.

She shook her head and turned to face him. Her face was red and tear streaked, and her eyes were puffy from crying.

"I know it's hard. It's something you'll never get used to, but at least she's somewhere better now."

She sniffled, trying to keep from crying again. Lucy reached out and took Daryl's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze, "Thank you, but it's too soon to try to make me feel better with that line."

Daryl frowned, but he understood.

For the first couple of days following the phone call, Merle didn't bother Lucy. He talked to her very little, knowing she needed her time to mourn. He slept beside her, but he didn't even touch her. The funeral came, and he and Daryl went with her. Some distant relatives from out of town, and Dharma's friends came to the funeral as well. Lucy stood beside the grave as the priest spoke, but she wasn't listening to his words.

She was doing her best to not fall to pieces again. Merle glanced down at Lucy and frowned. He put his arm around her shoulders and gave her a gentle squeeze. She looked up at him, and she couldn't hold it back anymore. She put her arms around him, clinging to him as the tears poured out of her eyes. She buried her face into his shoulder and sobbed. He held her, his hand rubbing her back, attempting to soothe her. Everyone left, including Daryl, who went out to sit in the truck, and Lucy and Merle were left alone beside her mother's grave.

"It's okay, Cherokee," he whispered. "It's gonna be okay. She doesn't hurt anymore. She wouldn't want you to cry." Lucy pulled away just enough to look up at him, her hands clutching his shirt, "She's in a better place now." She blinked at him and he rested his hand in her hair, stroking it gently. "God has a plan for everything, and this is just part of it."

He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her lips.

"You're gonna make it through this, and you're gonna come out stronger."


	10. Shaking

**ShutxThexFrontxDoor: Again, I'm sorry I made you cry hun. I understand the feels. I hope this makes up for it though. And thank you for your compliment, it made me grin all day.**

**Klreyes91: Thanks, doll! And thank you for letting me bounce ideas off you. I've got a lot laid out now for what's to come. **

For the next couple of weeks, Lucy just moped around. She didn't talk unless she was asked a question, or it was necessary. Her sadness bled over into her work, and she hated going to Bare Assets more than ever, despite Chanel's attempts to comfort her and get her mind off what had happened. Lucy also visited her mom's grave as much as she could; bringing flowers or some sort of trinket that reminded her of Dharma each time. Her drug use also increased during this period.

As Lucy made her way upstairs to go to bed, Merle sighed. He was tired of her acting like that. He was trying to do what a boyfriend was supposed to, but he didn't know how, and she wasn't letting anyone in anyways. Though on occasion, he would wake up in the middle of the night, and hear her crying in her sleep. He'd frown and put his hand on her back, rubbing it, soothing her. Once she'd calm down he'd fall back to sleep.

"We should do something for her," Daryl finally said.

"Huh?" Merle asked, arching his eyebrows and turning his attention away from the TV.

"We should do something to try to get her mind off of everything. Maybe take her somewhere for the weekend."

"Like where?"

Daryl shrugged, and thought for a few minutes. When he did speak, he said, "There's that cabin we went to as kids. The one grandpa owned."

Merle thought about it. They had only ever been once. Their mom's dad owned it, and the only reason they had even went was because he had insisted that their parents take the boys out there for the summer. It was so long ago, he wasn't sure he even remembered how to get there. "You know where it is?"

Daryl nodded, "I was goin' through some things the other day and I found a map mama had marked a route in it."

"What were you doin' messin' around in the attic?"

"I was lookin' for somethin'. Don't worry about it."

Merle frowned and looked at the TV again.

After a few minutes, Daryl asked, "So are we gonna take her, or what?"

Merle nodded, "We'll take her."

* * *

Lucy stood on the dock; Merle was in the water in front of her, "C'mon! Just jump in!"

She shook her head.

"Why not?"

"It's cold."

"It's not that cold, c'mon." He splashed her and she took a step back. Laughing, he kept splashing her.

"You're such a jerk!" she shouted. He splashed her again and she jumped in. He swam away from her, and they had a splash war, him laughing the whole time. When they finally stopped, Lucy treaded water, her arms wrapped around herself. She was shivering. "It's so damn cold, I'm freezin' my ass off."

Merle swam over to her and wrapped his arms around her. She felt his hands on her butt, and he squeezed it, "Feels like it's all there to me." Her back arched, causing her to press against him. He grinned, "Gettin' frisky in the water, huh?"

She gave him a shove, frowning, "You pig."

He laughed and put his lips against hers. Her hands rested on his shoulders and her legs wrapped around his waist.

She pulled away, "I'm getting hungry. You think Daryl will be back tonight?"

As soon as they'd arrived and gotten unpacked, Daryl had gone hunting. Merle shook his head as they got out of the water, "He'll probably be back in the mornin'."

Lucy changed out of her swimsuit, hanging it on the shower rod in the bathroom to dry. She put on her pajamas and walked into the kitchen. Merle had already changed and was outside lighting the grill. He walked back in, and smiled. "What are we havin' for dinner?"

"I'm gonna grill hot dogs, sugarplum, if you'll make some fries."

She nodded and got out the pot they had brought with them. It had been years since anyone had been in the cabin. Everything had been covered in dust when they arrived. A good part of Lucy's day had been spent cleaning. She didn't even get to the stuff in the kitchen, all she did was wipe down the counters, table, stove, and sink. She was afraid of what she might find in the cabinets.

While she fried the fries in oil, she watched Merle out the window. He caught her staring at him and smiled. She rolled her eyes and shook her head when he started making gestures at her. He stuck his tongue out, licking his lips, and she couldn't help but laugh.

She began putting the fries in a napkin lined bowl, and covered it before walking outside, "How much longer 'til you're done?" she asked.

"I'm done now," he told her, using tongs to pick up one of the hot dogs and place it on a plate. She went back inside to get out the buns, ketchup, and mustard and a couple of plates for them to eat off of.

After dinner, Lucy washed the few dishes they had, and laid them on a towel on the counter to dry. She walked into the living room and smiled, seeing Merle building a fire in the fireplace. She laid down on the couch, with its big pillows, it was quite comfortable.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"What's it look like?"

She rolled her eyes, "Why are you building a fire?"

"Because it's gettin' chilly in here." That time of year, it was warm in the day, but still cool at night. Lucy smiled and watched him stand up, a warm fire blazing behind him. "Now what are you doin'?" he asked as he walked over to her.

"Layin' here," she told him with a lazy smile. He smiled back as he climbed on top of her, "The couch isn't big enough for both of us," she whined, "Go away."

He arched an eyebrow at her, "Go away? Really? You want me to go away?" She nodded, still smiling.

"What if I do this instead?" he kissed her neck, gently biting her. She closed her eyes, her arms wrapping around him. His hand slipped under her shirt as he kissed along her jawline, then her lips. He grabbed her breast, and soft moan escaped her as he bit her lip, gently tugging it.

"This is good," she finally managed, kissing him back. He moved so that he was standing, his knee between her and the back of the couch, and she yanked at the hem of his shirt. He pulled it off, and she grinned, her hands trailing over the muscles in his stomach. He moved his leg, getting off the couch so he could take her pants off her, his fingers curling around the fabric of her panties as well. He settled back between her legs and she smiled up at him. He kissed her thigh, his hand slowly moving down it, and she moaned when she felt his fingers against the sensitive flesh between her legs. He rubbed her clit before slowly slipping two fingers inside her.

Lucy moaned again, tensing as his fingers moved rhythmically. She was certain he'd had more one night stands then the one she caught, but they hadn't had sex together since a few days after New Year's. He grabbed the hem of her shirt and tugged it up; she arched her back and lifted her shoulders so he could get it off of her. He trailed kisses up her stomach to her breasts. Merle took her breast in his mouth, teasing the nipple with his tongue and lightly grazing his teeth across her skin.

"Merle," she whispered, her eyes closed.

"What do you want, sugarplum?" he asked, voice low, his breath tickling her skin. She couldn't even begin to form a sentence as his fingers increased their speed. He smiled, a low chuckle escaping him.

She groaned as he stopped, his fingers sliding out of her. He stood up again to take his pants off, and then settled back on top of her again. His fingers worked her nipples, teasing them while he kissed her neck and collarbone, nipping the skin. She moaned as she felt his erection against her, teasing her more. "You want it sugarplum?" Lucy nodded in response, and her back arched, muscles tensing as he slid into her.

His thrusts were slow at first, but as her hands roamed his back he increased the speed of his thrusts, going deeper with each one, grinding his hips into her. Her hands clutched his shoulders, nails digging into his skin as the thrusts grew harder. Merle smiled, watching her move beneath him, bringing her hips up to meet each thrust. Her leg wrapped around his as her muscles began to tense, her walls tightening around him as she found her orgasm. He found his release too and they rode it out together.

Merle kissed Lucy again as they settled on the couch in each other's arms. They laid there in silence for a few minutes, then Lucy finally said, "I think I'm going to go to bed."

He nodded and climbed off the couch. He took her hand and pulled her to her feet. She walked to the bedroom, and crawled under the blankets while he put out the fire in the other room. It wasn't long before she felt him climb into bed next to her. His arm wrapped around her waist, and he pulled her against him. Lucy smiled and closed her eyes, the feeling of his heartbeat against her back putting her to sleep.


	11. The Lobster Quadrille

**Klreyes91: I'm glad you thought so!**

**ShutxThexFrontxDoor: * Damien Sandow voice* "You're welcome."**

When Lucy woke up in the morning, she pulled on her robe, tying it around her waist, then headed to the kitchen to make breakfast. She yawned and smiled, "Good morning," she told Daryl who was wrapping and placing deer meat in the fridge. "I'm guessing you had a successful hunt?"

He nodded and looked at her, "You look happy," he commented.

She nodded, "I am."

"That's good."

"You want some breakfast? I was about to start cooking."

He shook his head and yawned, "When I'm done with this I'm gonna shower and go to bed. I've been up all night."

She nodded in understanding, and he finished what he was doing. As he started down the hall towards the bathroom, she called out, "Sweet dreams."

Merle woke to the smell of bacon and pulled his clothes on before walking into the kitchen. "Smells good, Sugarplum," he told her, his hand on her hip as he leaned over her shoulder to kiss her cheek.

"G'mornin'," she smiled. Lucy took the pan off the burner and started placing the strips of bacon onto a napkin lined plate. "I made pancakes too," she told him, nodding towards the table.

"You sure know how ta treat a man."

She smiled, getting the jug of orange juice out of the fridge. She grabbed two glasses from the cabinet and sat everything on the table, then returned for the plate of bacon, and two more plates for them to eat off of.

"Daryl back yet?" Merle asked as he ate.

Lucy nodded, "He's in bed."

After they ate breakfast, Lucy washed the dishes and they changed their clothes. Merle grabbed a beer out of the fridge before he walked outside with Lucy. She laid out on the dock, tanning. Merle sat beside her, drinking. After a while she turned over onto her back and propped herself up on her forearms to look at him, a smile on her face. "What you so happy about" he asked.

"This," she told him. "This is nice. We should do this more often."

He smiled, "I can't make any promises, Cherokee."

She pushed herself up so that she was sitting up and leaned over to kiss him. He reached up, cupping the back of her head. She pulled away, grinning, and laid back down.

They stayed out for a while longer, before eventually going back in for lunch. Lucy made sandwiches and they ate before going back out. She sat on the edge of the dock while Merle swam. Eventually, he pulled himself up on the dock beside her. "You gonna get in?" he asked.

She shook her head.

"Why not?"

"If it's as cold as it was yesterday, I don't want in it."

"It ain't cold," he assured her.

She arched an eyebrow, not trusting him before stretching her leg out, dipping her foot in the water. She quickly pulled it out, "You're such a liar!"

He chuckled and he stood up.

"Don't you dare push me in," Lucy told him as she stood up too.

"I'm not; I'm gonna go get another beer." He turned to walk away and she turned back to look at the water. She heard his footsteps behind her, and before she could react, his arms were around her waist and he jumped in with her.

She screamed as she hit the water, his arms slipped from around her waist as soon as they went under. Lucy pushed herself up to the surface, coughing up water. When Merle came back up, he was laughing. She splashed him with water, "You asshole!"

He grabbed her forearms and pulled her to him, still grinning. She wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck, "I'm just tryin' ta have some fun," he told her.

She frowned and rolled her eyes. He pressed a kiss to her lips and she pulled away, swimming back over to the dock, and pulling herself up.

"Where ya goin'?" he asked.

"Back inside." Still chuckling, he watched her walk back up to the cabin, grabbing her towel off the porch railing and wrapping it around herself.

As Lucy opened the door, Daryl stepped out, sleep still in his eyes, "Everything okay?" he asked.

"You're brother's a jerk."

"I'm sorry," he chuckled. "He's your boyfriend though."

She frowned and rolled her eyes. They stood in silence for a few minutes. "You gonna go join him?" she eventually asked, her head tilting to the side.

Daryl shook his head, "Probably not."

She was about to ask him why, and then she thought about it, "He doesn't know about the scars on your back, huh?"

Daryl shook his head, "I prefer not to talk about it."

She gave him a half-smile, "I know. He's your brother though."

Daryl shook his head again, "It would be pointless to tell him. He'll just get mad, and there's no need for that."

Lucy took a deep breath. "You hungry?" she asked, changing the subject.

"Naw, I ate right before you came in."

"I'm gonna go change then," she told him.


	12. Mad Tea Party

**Guest: Lucy doesn't 'get with' Daryl. They have a brother/sister relationship, her heart belongs to Merle. Despite that he doesn't always treat her right, and he occasionally cheats on her. Besides that, pre-apocalypse Daryl would never go against Merle, and therefore, Daryl would never go after Merle's girl, regardless of how he felt.**

A few years passed, and Lucy's drug use worsened. She'd occasionally leave Merle when things got bad, but after a month or so, she'd come back. He continued having one night stands on occasion, and she wouldn't find out about them unless he came home with the clap. Then they'd get into a fight and she'd ask him what he was going to do when he came home with something he couldn't get rid of. Then he'd go to the bedroom and do a few lines.

She and Daryl became closer too. After an argument with Merle, he'd comfort her. It was easy for them to talk to each other when they couldn't talk to anyone else. He became like a brother to her.

Now Lucy stood in the drug store looking at the products on the shelf, frustrated. There were so many to choose from, but they all did the same thing, right? She bit her lip, comparing the prices before finally grabbing a box and walking over to check out. She paid and took her bag, then drove home.

Daryl was the only one there when she walked in, "Hey," he told her.

She gave him a slight smile and hurried upstairs to the bathroom. She opened the box and pulled out the pregnancy test and the instructions.

After a while, Daryl became worried. Lucy had never acted that way towards him before. And she'd been upstairs for a while. He started up the stairs and as he got closer he could hear her muffled crying. He knocked on the bathroom door, "Lucy, is everything okay?"

"I'm fine, Daryl," she tried to stay calm, but there was an edge to her voice.

"You know you can tell me."

She stood from where she'd been sitting on the edge of the bathtub, and wiped her face. She opened the door, and motioned to the counter.

Daryl picked up the pregnancy test, the corner of his mouth twitched up at the sight of the plus sign. "Lucy, this is wonderful."

"No," she shook her head, "No, I can't do it Daryl. I can't."

He sat the stick back down and turned to her, "Lucy, it's okay."

She shook her head again, "No, Daryl, I can't. Not with Merle."

She was becoming frantic. He placed his hands on her shoulders, hoping to calm her down, "It'll be okay, I promise."

"I have to leave."

"Lucy—"

"I'm sorry, Daryl." She pulled away from him and turned, running out of the bathroom. Daryl followed her to her room. She pulled out a suitcase and started going through the dresser, taking things out of it.

"Lucy, you can't just leave. You have to tell him."

She ignored him.

"He deserves to know."

She turned to face Daryl and shook her head, "He's not father material, and you know it. Besides that, do you really think this is the sort of environment for a child?"

Daryl sighed and turned around, going back downstairs.

When Merle got home, he headed upstairs and founded Lucy lugging the two suitcases out of the bedroom, "What are you doing?" he asked.

"I'm leaving."

"You can't leave," he said, blocking her path.

"Yes, I can. Now get out of my way."

"Let's talk about this. What did I even do this time?"

She ignored his question as she forced her way around him. A wheel on one of the suitcases got caught on the banister. When she yanked it free, she lost her balance and tumbled down the stairs.

"Lucy!" Merle shouted, concern falling over his features. He rushed down the stairs and knelt beside her. She was unconscious. He gently lifted her head, feeling something wet and warm beneath it. He looked at his blood covered fingers, "Daryl! Call an ambulance!"

* * *

Lucy winced in pain when she opened her eyes, blinded by the light above her. Her head was pounding in time with the beeping of the monitors. She used her hand to shield her eyes from the light and saw the IV line sticking out of it. She groaned and looked at Daryl and Merle. Merle was sitting in a chair at her bedside, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. Daryl stood leaning against the wall behind him. His arms were crossed and he looked nervous, a frown on his features.

"What happened?" she moaned.

"You fell down the stairs," Merle told her.

She narrowed her eyes at him, "You pushed me."

"No," he shook his head. "You tripped, I swear."

Daryl chewed on his bottom lip, watching the exchange.

The door opened, and the doctor walked in. "Good, you're awake," he smiled. He looked over her chart before continuing, "You have a concussion and had to get a few stitches, but you're both okay."

"Both?" Merle asked, looking from the doctor to Lucy.

"The baby," the doctor said.

"Baby? You're pregnant?" He turned to look at Lucy, his eyebrows arched.

"Merle…"

"You're pregnant, and you weren't going to tell me. You were going to just leave?"

Tears started to slide down her cheeks, "Merle, I'm sorry."

"You were going to take my baby, and not even tell me!" his voice rose with each word.

"Merle, I was scared. I'm sorry."

"How could you do that to me? Don't you think I deserve to know that I'm going to be a father?"

"Mr. Dixon," the doctor attempted to interrupt, "She needs her rest."

"This is between me and her; you can stay out of it." Merle's attention turned to the doctor.

"As her physician, I suggest you keep your voice down, or I'll have to ask for security to escort you out."

Merle looked at Lucy, who sat on the bed crying, then at Daryl who still looked nervous and uncomfortable. He sneered as he walked out of the room, going to the waiting room to sit down.

He sat in the chair and put his elbows on his knees, his head in his hands. He closed his eyes and sighed, thinking over the situation. He would change, he'd have to. He didn't want to be like his father, he had to be better than that. No kid deserved to grow up how he and Daryl did.

He heard the footsteps and looked up to see his brother standing there. "You knew, didn't you? You knew she was pregnant, and she was gonna leave. And you weren't gonna tell me. Even sittin' there in that room, you weren't gonna say a thing."

"I wanted to, but it was her place to do it."

"You're my brother; my flesh and blood. You should have told me."

"What good would it have done?" Daryl's eyebrows furrowed.

Merle didn't say anything. He pinched his lips together, looking down at his dirty boots. "Dad's old lockbox still up in the attic?" he finally asked.

"Yeah."

* * *

A few nights later, Lucy woke up with a pain in her abdomen. She groaned and crawled out of bed, her hand pressed against her where the pain radiated from. She made her way down the hall to the bathroom and flipped the light on. When she looked down she saw the red stains on her shorts, and blood streaked legs. She looked back and seen the bloody footprints leading from her bedroom. "MERLE!" she screamed, leaning against the doorjamb. "MERLE!"

Both brothers woke up. Merle turned on the small lamp by his bedside and his eyes widened at the sight of the blood on the sheets. Lucy screamed his name again, and he jumped out of bed, rushing to her. Daryl was already standing beside her, holding her against him while she repeated, "Why is there so much blood?"

"Go get her some water or something?" Merle told him, pulling Lucy into his arms while she shook and sobbed.

"Why is there so much blood?" she asked him.

"Shh, it's okay," he smoothed her hair. "It's going to be okay."

He let go of her so he could run her a bath. As the tub filled, he walked back over to her, "Let's get you cleaned up." Daryl returned with the water, and Merle sat it on the counter, "Go get a mop or somethin' so we can clean this up," he told his brother. He shut the bathroom door behind Daryl, and undressed Lucy. She slowly stepped into the tub, sitting down in the warm water. He placed his hand on the side of her face and kissed the top of her head, "I'll be right back."

Merle stripped his bed of the sheets and carried them downstairs while Daryl returned upstairs with the mop.

When he went back to Lucy, she was still crying and hadn't moved. He knelt down next to the tub. "Why is there so much blood?"

"It's okay, we're gonna call the doctor. Everything will be okay." He picked up her loofa sponge and pried her hands apart. She had her arms wrapped tightly around her bent knees. "Let's get you clean," he told her. "Give me your leg." She extended one leg and he took her ankle in his hand, washing away the blood.

Once she was clean, he took her hands and pulled her to her feet. He wrapped the towel around her and she stepped out of the tub. He pulled the plug and then scooped her into his arms, carrying her to the bedroom.

He helped her get dressed then led her downstairs, "We'll sleep on the couch tonight and clean the mattress in the morning." The couch had a fold-out bed in it, and had already been pulled out for them. Lucy curled up on it, hugging herself. Merle laid down next to her, and put his arms around her. She fell asleep crying while he ran his fingers through her unbrushed hair.

When morning came Merle went with Lucy to the doctor. They sat in the office together after her examination, and he held her hand. She hadn't said a word all morning. When the doctor finally came in, he confirmed that Lucy had a miscarriage. She turned to Merle and buried her face in his shoulder, crying. He held her, rubbing her back.


	13. Off with Her Head!

**Guest: I'm sorry to hear that, especially since this is the last chapter. Also, I don't understand what you meant by 'it would be a lot more' at the beginning of your review. And also, I'm not sure why I'm typing this since you probably won't be reading it.**

**Blueberrybunny3630: I'm sorry doll. I'm a sadist, I love being cruel to my characters.**

**ShutxThexFrontxDoor: Oh, angelface, I'm sorry, but you knew it was going to happen. You read Savior!**

_Author's Note: I just wanted to say really quickly thank you to everyone that has read, favorited, and followed this story. Also, thank you for each and every review. You guys are awesome._

In the days that passed, Lucy closed up. She wouldn't talk to anybody. She called out of work; she was taking the next two weeks off. Chanel came by to see how she was, as well as a new bar tender she had bonded with, Marissa, but she didn't talk to either of them as well. She just sat on the couch, her eyes glued to the TV screen. She'd hug her knees and occasionally tears would roll down her cheeks, but she didn't seem to notice them. She'd occasionally mutter to herself as well.

One of those nights, Daryl and Merle sat in the kitchen, they could see Lucy through the doorway. She sat on the couch, hugging herself like always, and rocking back and forth. Woody Harrelson's voice could be heard coming from the TV's speakers, covering up their own words where Lucy couldn't hear the brothers talking.

"We have to do something," Daryl said. "She's losing her mind."

Merle sighed, "What the hell am I supposed to do? She won't talk to either of us."

"We could take her to a therapist."

"She doesn't need a damn shrink. Besides, I ain't wastin' the money for her to do the same damn thing she's doin' now."

"What's she watchin' anyways?" Daryl asked, leaning forward, craning his neck to see the TV.

"Zombieland," Merle muttered, taking the last sip of his beer. "She'll snap out of it sooner or later. Just like she did with her mama."

"There's a difference though. When Dharma died, Lucy didn't close up like this. Yeah, she was sad, she cried, but she still talked to us. She hasn't said a word since that night. Honestly, I'm not sure if she even knows where the hell she is."

Merle got up and threw the bottle away, "She's gonna be fine." He started to leave the room.

"And if she isn't?"

Merle shook his head but didn't verbally respond to his brother as he walked into the living room. He put his hand on Lucy's shoulder, "C'mon, Sugarplum, let's get to bed."

He went ignored.

He sighed again and leaned down to kiss the top of her head. She'd come upstairs sooner or later.

* * *

In the morning, after Merle had left for work, Daryl knocked on Lucy's bedroom door. "Get dressed," he told her, "We're goin' somewhere."

She wordlessly got out of bed and started changing her clothes. She came downstairs and followed Daryl out to his truck. She didn't say anything as he drove, nor did she speak when they walked into the dull brick building. They rode the elevator up to the second floor and walked into a waiting room.

Daryl signed in before taking the seat next to Lucy. He sighed, anxious; his nerves were getting to him. He felt awful going against Merle's wishes, but Merle didn't always know what was best. And Daryl was concerned about Lucy.

The door opened and a middle-aged woman left, walking across to the door Lucy and Daryl had entered the waiting room from. A man in a suit with slicked back black hair and thick black-framed glasses spoke to the receptionist for a moment. He looked over at Daryl and Lucy, "Ms. Thornton?"

She looked at Daryl, he nodded to her, giving her an encouraging smile and nudging her forwards. She stood up and cautiously walked across the room. He smiled at Lucy as he closed his office door, introducing himself, "I'm Dr. Thredson." The door closed, and Daryl didn't hear any more.

The hour passed agonizingly slowly for Daryl as he waited for Lucy to finish her first session with the doctor. When the door finally opened, and Lucy stepped out, Daryl looked up; his eyebrows arched hoping there had been a breakthrough of some sort. "Mr. Dixon?" the doctor asked, "Could I speak to you for a moment?"

Daryl nodded and stood, crossing the room to his office, "I'll just be a minute," he told Lucy and she seated herself next to the door. Daryl stepped inside the office. It was comfortable, and the furniture and décor created the perfect atmosphere to put someone at ease so they would open up about themselves.

"Have a seat," Dr. Thredson motioned to the sitting area. "Can I offer you a bottle of water?"

Daryl sat down and shook his head, "No, thank you." Dr. Thredson sat down across from Daryl, "Did you get her to talk or anything?" Daryl was hopeful.

The doctor shook his head, "She wouldn't say a word. I'm not sure she was even listening to anything I said. She just sat and muttered to herself."

"She's been doing that a lot."

Dr. Thredson sighed, crossing his legs, "I feel like I could help her if I understood the situation more."

Daryl sighed, trying to figure out where to begin and exactly what to tell. Dr. Thredson listened carefully, his elbows resting on his chair arms. When Daryl was done, Dr. Thredson nodded, "I'd like to see her again, give her a few more days, then bring her back." Daryl and the doctor talked for a few more minutes about Lucy and her condition, and what she could possibly be suffering from, aside from the depression.

Lucy visited Dr. Thredson three more times, and each time was the same result. She refused to talk to him; she sat and muttered to herself, and occasionally rocked back and forth, hugging her body. She still didn't talk to Daryl or Merle, or anyone else she knew for that matter. After the third session, Dr. Thredson asked to speak to Daryl privately again. When he settled into a chair, Dr. Thredson began, "She's becoming less aware of her surroundings. I'm afraid her condition is much worse than I had originally thought."

"What can you do to help her?"

He shook his head, "Nothing much, I can prescribe her medication, but in her state, I'm not sure that's the best route." He sighed heavily, "There is a facility in Atlanta that could help her."

"Like an asylum?"

Dr. Thredson sighed, taking off his glasses and rubbing his temples, "Not quite. It's more of a haven or a sanctuary." Daryl arched his eyebrow, he wasn't that stupid. Dr. Thredson continued, "I really believe they'd be able to help her. She'd have round-the-clock care by exceptional nurses and doctors. I honestly believe it's the best choice." Dr. Thredson handed Daryl a brochure of the place and Daryl looked it over as Dr. Thredson continued telling him about the place.

Finally Daryl stood, "We'll consider it." He left the office and took Lucy's hand, "C'mon." She stood and followed him out the door.

* * *

When Merle got home, Daryl handed him the brochure, "What's this?" he asked.

"I've been taking Lucy to see a therapist."

"You've been wastin' yer money. She ain't gettin' better."

Daryl groaned, "I know. She's worse. That's why he gave me that. I've been reading it all afternoon, and I think it would be good for her."

Merle sighed and sat the brochure down. He put his hands on his temples, thinking everything over, "She's my girlfriend, y'know. I don't appreciate you takin' her to see a shrink without tellin' me."

"Lucy is sick," Daryl said, his voice raising. That was something that rarely happened, and never at his brother. "If you give a damn about her, you'll take her. She needs the care."

Merle frowned, his jaw tightened. He hated to admit it, but Daryl was right. "Fine!" He swallowed hard, looking up at his little brother who was standing in front of him. "We'll take her."

The arrangements were made, and the three drove to Atlanta. They toured the facility and Lucy was checked in. Daryl and Merle said their goodbyes and as they turned to leave, that's when Lucy snapped. She ran after them, only to be stopped by a security guard. She fought him; trying to get away, but his arm stayed around her waist. "Merle!" she shouted his name. Merle stopped and turned to look at her. It pained him to see her like that.

Daryl turned around to. He grabbed her hand in his, "I'm sorry Lucy," he whispered.

_Author's Note: Yes, I stole Zachary Quinto's character from American Horror Story: Asylum to use as the psychiatrist because I'm lazy and my head hurts and I'm sad and a bunch of other reasons. Also, I love Zachary Quinto. And I'm dying to see Star Trek: Into Darkness. Also, be on the look-out for the sequel, "I Love Looney". It's going to take place six months after 'Savior' ended._


End file.
